Polk County Homicide detectives arrested a man in Frostproof on Friday for fatally stabbing his roommate during an argument.
Polk County deputies responded to the 1000 block of Highway 98 in Frostproof just before 11 p.m. Thursday night in reference to a report of an armed altercation with a subject possibly being killed.
When deputies arrived, they found 46-year-old Miguel Cosme standing in the front yard with his arms raised. He told deputies that he "did it."
Cosme, who is in the United States illegally, was detained and law enforcement conducted a precautionary search of the residence locating the victim, an adult Hispanic male, immediately inside the doorway.
The victim, his 60-year-old roommate who was also in the United States illegally, had multiple stab wounds to the neck and shoulder area.
Polk County Emergency Medical Service pronounced the victim deceased at 11:15 p.m.
A small kitchen knife was located near the victim.
Sheriff's Office Operation's Center. During a post-Miranda interview, Cosme told deputies that he and the victim were roommates and have been living together for approximately three months.
Cosme said that they were sitting on the couch drinking beer and that the victim was intoxicated.
Cosme told deputies that his roommate began saying "I don't like the way you are." Cosme advised that this statement was offensive and discriminatory toward him.
In a press conference, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said that the argument was over sexual preferences.
Cosme became enraged by the statement and punched the victim in the face with a closed fist.
As the victim fell to the floor due to the punch, Miguel kicked him in the head and groin with his steel-toed work boots.
He then went into his own bedroom and armed himself with a kitchen knife. Cosme stated he thought the victim would harm him so he jabbed and cut the victim's neck several times, according to Polk County deputies.
"Based upon this investigation the suspect committed an act imminently dangerous to another and evincing a depraved mind regardless of human life," the Polk County Sheriff's Office wrote in a press release. "The suspect initiated the violence by striking the victim with his fists and then kicking him numerous times in the head and groin area with steel toed boots. Following this he armed himself and without any overt act on the part of the victim he stabbed the victim multiple times with a knife resulting in his death."
Cosme was charged with Second-Degree Murder with a Weapon. Cosme was booked into the Polk County Jail on Friday morning and is being held without bond. His first court appearance is on Saturday.
